GOD’S GREAT CARE

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? “

Do you know how much God cares for you? In this life we may never come to a full knowledge of just how much, but if we stop to meditate on this verse we might gain a closer understanding.

The Lord has His ways of helping us see His truth. One morning, as I sat alone praying, I was surprised by a soft but constant tapping at my window. It was just after 5 a.m. and still very dark outside. As I looked closer, there at the window’s edge was a little sparrow looking right at me, hanging on for dear life. I lifted the window and the little bird came onto my hand and into the house. It was a remarkable moment. The bird then just sat in my lap for a good 30 minutes. During that time it even fell asleep. As it rested, I couldn’t help but wonder what could have driven it to my window at the darkest hour of the night. Why wasn’t he home with his bird family? Was he scared out of his nest? Was a cat in pursuit of him? I had to ask, “Lord, what’s going on here and what does this mean?” The Lord showed me that as I was moved to open the window to receive that helpless, lost and lonely sparrow, so the Lord also desires to take me in. As the bird sat before me and rested, I realized that is what I am to do with God. Just as that little bird feverishly tapped on the glass to come in, I too need to earnestly pursue the Lord.

As the morning dawned, his fellow sparrows began to arrive at the backyard feeders. I invited my wife to join in on the release, so we walked outside and set him down. He began to sample the seed as he flew from feeder to feeder. Back inside the house, I looked out the window to see that the little bird was joined by his fellow aviators and they sang in the morning’s arrival.

This little bird may remind you of yourself. There may be times when you feel you are in the dark, alone and desperate. Yet for those of us who believe, there is a day coming when we will enter in before the Lord to a place where we will feast at His table, safe and warm, in His presence forever.